Chapter 24

Episode 24

“I apologize for the wait. I had some matters to attend to.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. Everyone knows how busy you are, Inspector. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Right this way.”

I led her to a small meeting room. Chloe, ever so thoughtful, had prepared refreshments.

I hadn’t bothered decorating the meeting room before, assuming we wouldn’t have many visitors. But now that the Lady had instructed us to accept external requests, I would have to pay more attention to such details.

Oracle settled comfortably on the sofa, seemingly unconcerned.

But I remained vigilant, activating ‘Mind’s Eye’.

“Your recent success was quite impressive. Baron Roman is a formidable opponent, but you managed to dismantle his entire operation. And you even managed to resolve the situation fairly and reasonably.”

Her eyes shone with the light of truth.

Fortunately, ‘Mind’s Eye’ worked on her. I wondered if it would work on Lord Hylix.

I was convinced that there were invisible levels in this world, a natural consequence of being in a game.

I hadn’t played the game, so I didn’t know the specifics, but there could be physical levels or perhaps a hierarchy based on social status.

I would learn more as I continued my work as an Inspector.

I would be interacting with high-ranking nobles frequently.

Based on this logic, Oracle might be an important figure in this world, but her level wasn’t significantly higher than mine.

“You’re too kind. But I’m not sure what you mean by ‘reasonably’.”

“I was referring to Baron Roman’s lenient sentence. I don’t know the details, but I suspect you negotiated with him.”

“That’s a dangerous accusation. I didn’t make any deals with Baron Roman.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just… a mixture of admiration and envy, I suppose. I’m worried about my position. I hear you’re quite skilled, both in martial arts and strategy.”

She smiled, her expression seductive.

‘Mind’s Eye’ detected a lie.

Her tone and expression were so natural that I would have been fooled if it weren’t for ‘Mind’s Eye’.

‘She’s not just intelligent she’s also skilled at manipulating men.’

Her beauty and seductive smile were a deadly combination.

I understood why Lord Hylix kept her close. It wasn’t just her intelligence.

She was a valuable asset in negotiations, especially when dealing with men.

“This success was only possible thanks to the Lady’s compassion for her people. The Inspection Unit simply carried out her orders.”

“Indeed. She’s always been interested in the welfare of her people. To be honest, I’m quite intrigued by her recent actions. The Inspection Unit has captured the hearts and minds of both the Duke and the people.”

She paused, crossing her legs and picking up her teacup. She took a sip.

“If Lord Hylix inherits the Dukedom… perhaps it would be wise to consider how the Inspection Unit can be utilized.”

This time, ‘Mind’s Eye’ detected truth.

There were rumors that the Imperial Capital was preparing to welcome Lady Lucia as a member of the Imperial Family. She was likely referring to that.

Even if Hylix didn’t inherit the Dukedom, if Lady Lucia married into the Imperial Family, the Inspection Unit would be left in limbo.

But I wasn’t worried.

Lady Lucia was the ultimate ‘mastermind’. The marriage wouldn’t happen.

“I believe our elders will handle such matters. I’m only interested in completing my missions.”

“You’re saying you’re not interested in discussing hypotheticals. Very well. I’ll get to the point. I have a request for the Inspection Unit. It might seem trivial, but… it involves human lives, so I’m being cautious.”

Countless possibilities flooded my mind.

The Inspection Unit’s mission wasn’t clearly defined. We were responsible for investigating corruption among officials, but we could also be tasked with monster subjugation, search and rescue, and other missions.

And the final decision rested with House Kalisto, or rather, Lady Lucia.

A request from Oracle, Lord Hylix’s close friend and strategist, would likely be approved.

But I wanted to avoid investigating House Maylense. It would be a political nightmare.

“If it involves human lives, wouldn’t it be more efficient to contact the Knights?”

“It’s not that kind of situation. To be honest, it doesn’t even involve my family. A family close to House Maylense is having some trouble.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

But which family? I couldn’t think of any. Perhaps Sir Mars’ family?

“House Cliff. You know them, right?”

“I’ve heard of them. They’re known for their mountainous terrain, which makes monster subjugation difficult.”

“You’re well-informed. They’re having some trouble. Several servants have gone missing or died recently.”

What was this?

The scale of the incident seemed insignificant, but the fact that it involved someone connected to Lord Hylix made me uneasy.

And ‘Mind’s Eye’ confirmed that she was telling the truth.

“There’s no evidence of unpaid wages or abuse… but several butlers and maids have been affected. The investigation hasn’t yielded any results.”

“It sounds more like a crime than an accident.”

“Indeed. I’d handle it myself, but I don’t have the time. I was hoping to ask the Inspection Unit for assistance. Would that be possible?”

I had never investigated a murder in my previous life.

But with ‘Mind’s Eye’, it wouldn’t be a problem. Investigation and interrogation were my specialties.

“I’m not authorized to accept requests. I’ll report this to Lady Lucia and inform you of her decision. I’ll send a message to House Maylense.”

“Thank you.”

I summoned Chloe and asked her to bring me writing materials. I prepared to take notes.

“I’ll need to ask you a few questions for the report. Could you provide me with a general overview of the situation?”

“Of course. The first death occurred about a month ago. It was a rainy day. There was a thunderstorm.”

I interviewed her for about ten minutes.

Her account of the servants’ disappearances and deaths was truthful. At least she wasn’t lying about the incident itself.

If ‘Mind’s Eye’ had detected a lie, I would have known it was a trap. This was going to be tricky.

“Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll compile this information and report it to the Lady. We’ll inform you of her decision. I’ll send a message to House Maylense.”

“Thank you for your time. I’d like to invite you to dinner sometime. I hope you can make it.”

“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll have to decline.”

“That’s a shame. Let me know if you change your mind.”

She left the headquarters, her seductive smile lingering in the air. I reviewed my notes, then returned to the safe house.

I summoned Selendis and Jericho.

“This request isn’t from House Maylense. It’s from House Cliff. Lady Oracle acted as their representative. They’re requesting an investigation into a series of disappearances and deaths.”

“Wait a minute. House Cliff? That remote territory in the mountains? The one infested with monsters?”

“I’ve heard it’s a dangerous place.”

Selendis echoed Jericho’s concerns. Jericho’s face paled.

“Dangerous or not, we have a duty to investigate. Even if it’s the demon realm.”

“Wow, I’ll make sure to include that in my report to the Lady.”

“Are you accepting the request, Master?”

“I’ll report it to Lady Lucia, but I don’t see any reason to refuse. We need to establish a reputation for efficiency.”

I handed them my notes. They reviewed the information.

“This is strange. But it seems beneath the Inspection Unit to handle such a trivial matter. Can’t House Cliff handle this themselves? I’m worried we’ll be seen as errand boys.”

“I agree, but there’s something else to consider.”

“What is it, Master?”

“Lady Oracle said something interesting. She said that if Lord Hylix inherits the Dukedom, we should consider how the Inspection Unit can be utilized.”

“That’s outrageous! The Duke is still alive and well! And she’s his strategist! How dare she discuss the succession!”

Jericho seemed uneasy about this mission. Selendis remained silent.

“Do we have any information on House Cliff?”

“We have the basics. Give me a moment.”

Jericho returned with a large book. It wasn’t bound it was a folder containing various documents.

“Let’s see… House Cliff is also aligned with Lord Hylix. They’re not wealthy, but they’re known for their loyalty.”

“How wealthy are they?”

“They’re a Viscount family, but their wealth is comparable to a poor Baron family. It’s understandable. Their territory is mostly mountainous, and the monsters affect their agricultural output. Merchants avoid them.”

The pieces were falling into place.

I understood why Oracle had requested an investigation into a different family.

She was quite clever.

“It seems they chose House Cliff to test the Inspection Unit while minimizing the risk of losing a valuable source of income. And it’s possible that Lady Lucia is their ultimate target.”

“Sir? Surely not? They wouldn’t be that blatant. And the Lady isn’t even involved in the succession.”

“She said we should consider how the Inspection Unit can be utilized.”

“She could have just been making conversation.”

But I knew the truth.

I didn’t need to explain ‘Mind’s Eye’. I didn’t intend to.

“If Baron Roman was truly ambitious, he wouldn’t have cooperated with us. Ambitious people eliminate any obstacles in their path.”

“So you’re saying Lord Hylix is testing you, Master?”

“Yes.”

“This is a difficult situation.”

I gathered the documents and stood up.

“It’s actually quite simple. We report this to the Lady and await her orders.”

“You’re going now?”

I nodded. Selendis stood beside me.

I felt a sense of security, a feeling I hadn’t experienced before.

Giving her the elixir had been a good decision.

“Prepare for a mission. It’s highly likely we’ll be investigating this matter.”

“Yes, Master.”

Selendis and I left the headquarters and rode towards the main castle.

We dismounted and were about to enter the inner castle when we encountered an unexpected individual.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the man of the hour, Sir O’Brien.”